SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Investors
seeking competitive financial returns with positive environmental,
social and governance (ESG) impacts are finding both in Farmland
LP, the largest organic farmland fund manager in the U.S., which
today announced it earned the highest corporate-sustainability
rating awarded by HIP Investor Inc., a leading ESG and
sustainability-ratings firm.
The 82.0 rating (of a possible 100) places Farmland LP as #1 in
HIP Investor's worldwide corporate universe of 10,000
corporations, as well as at the top of the agricultural real
estate investment trust (REIT) category, the closest
comparable peer group.
"Our job at Farmland LP is to manage farmland and maximize its
value, productivity and profitability—from acquisition through the
life of the investment—all from the foundation of healthy soil
biology and happy plants," said Craig
Wichner, Founder and Managing Partner of Farmland LP. "Our
globally-high HIP rating reflects our 10 years of focusing on a
meaningful mission: a sustainable planet, fairly paid and rewarded
employees, certifications by expert organizations, and regenerative
farmland best practices. We also deliver compelling financial
returns, providing a strong double-bottom-line performance for our
investors."
"Farmland LP is delivering a carbon-negative, people-positive
business model," highlighted R. Paul
Herman, CEO of ESG experts HIP Investor Inc. "Farmland LP's
sustainable and regenerative farming approach yields lower carbon,
lower waste and fewer environmental impacts, while simultaneously
fertilizing farmers wealth with higher wages and benefits and
cultivating a diverse workplace inclusive of women and people of
color. In turn, Farmland LP achieves the top HIP Rating overall
globally, naturally leading its industry, geography and size."
A list of the top 10 HIP Ratings by asset class, geography,
market-cap size and sector is available at:
www.HIPinvestor.com.
As an active property owner and manager of more than 15,000
acres in California,
Oregon and Washington, Farmland LP pursues higher annual
revenues and profits from farmland by developing a diversified mix
of organic, permanent and high-value crops. With unique expertise
across agriculture, soil biology, real estate and farm management,
the firm has increased the long-term value of farmland and
delivered returns for investors while achieving tangible
sustainability benefits to people, planet and trust.
Farmland LP also announced plans to issue a $115 million bond, which meets the criteria under
the 2018 ICMA Sustainable Bond Guidelines. Global issuance of
sustainability bonds is expected to reach $125 billion this year, according to Moody's
Investors service.
U.S. farmland has a market value of $2.7
trillion, with 40% of farmland leased, according to the
USDA, a figure that is comparable to the value of all the office
buildings in the U.S., yet it has little institutional ownership
today despite its attractive investment characteristics.
Farmland compares favorably to other asset classes (e.g., stocks,
bonds, REITs), having delivered top-decile returns with a low
standard deviation, according to the TIAA Center for Farmland
Research.
After double-bottom-line success in its Fund I, Farmland LP is
on target to close its Fund II in 2021. Fund II owns 6,000 acres in
Washington State, plus an
additional 2,300 acres of farmland in Oregon's Willamette Valley, over half of which
is already producing certified organic products. The crops comprise
more than a dozen annual and perennial crops in rotation, and
permanent crops including organic blueberries and several wine
grape varieties.
About Farmland LP
Farmland LP is a leading investment
fund that generates returns by converting conventional farmland to
organic, sustainably managed farmland. Founded in 2009, Farmland LP
manages over 15,000 acres of high-quality farmland and more than
$175 million in assets, with a focus
on enhancing the value of farmland to generate competitive,
risk-adjusted returns while demonstrating and quantifying the
positive benefits farmland can provide for human and ecosystem
health, biodiversity, water, and climate change. To learn more and
explore investing, contact IR@farmlandlp.com or visit
www.FarmlandLP.com.
About HIP Investor
HIP Investor Inc. (HIP = Human
Impact + Profit), founded in 2006, delivers sustainable,
responsible, and impactful ratings and solutions to investors and
issuers pursuing human, social, and environmental results. HIP
produces and licenses 130,000 sustainability, ESG, and SDG ratings
of investments of all types, including more than 10,000
corporations globally (applicable to both equities and fixed income
bonds), more than 119,000 municipal bond issuers, obligors, and
impact entities, and more than 1,000 mutual funds, exchange-traded
funds (ETFs), and separately managed accounts (SMAs). To learn more
and explore ESG ratings, visit www.HIPinvestor.com.
Contacts:
For Farmland LP:
The Totenberg Group
Jill
Totenberg
917-697-6900
jtotenberg@totenberggroup.com
Richard Mahony
917-257-6811
richard@totenberggroup.com
For HIP Investor, Inc.:
R. Paul Herman
415-902-7741
Paul@HIPInvestor.com
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SOURCE Farmland LP